HIS DEBUT book may still be raking in the awards but dedicated naturalist Dara McAnulty certainly hasn’t been resting on his laurels, publishing what will likely be yet another best seller last week.
‘Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature’ is the latest book from the former ‘Young Fermanagh Naturalist’ blogger, and has been described as “a nature walk” that allows readers to “experience the joy of connecting with the natural world on your multi sensory journey.”
The book, which comes on the heals of the phenomenal success of Dara’s debut ‘Diary of a Young Naturalist’, is divided into five sections starting with looking out the window, followed by sections venturing out into the joy of nature.
Launched last week with an online event that included the BBC’s Chris Packham, who Dara referred to as “my good friend and incredible naturalist”, Wild Child has already been getting rave reviews.
In what will no doubt be a boon to the teenage naturalist, teachers who have been lucky enough to get an early copy have even been vowing to use it in class.
Dara, who first made a name for himself as a child blogging about the beauty of Fermanagh’s forests, has taken the world by storm in recent years with his passion for the local environment and ability to share that passion with those around him.
His writing has also been wowing young and old alike, and the teenager has quickly been gathering an impressive collection of literary awards.
Aside from his books, Dara has been continuing to cement his reputation as a trusted naturalist via social media and by recently launching a new regular nature column for the Irish Times.
With plans to chart the seasons from his new Co Down home through the monthly feature, Dara’s first column for the paper in which he talks about living by the sea was an warmly welcomed by Irish Times readers.
One woman, in a letter to the editor praising the teenager, called the decision to launch his monthly column “inspired.”
“How modest and unassuming of the writer to let us be the judges of whether or not his words can ‘help save nature’,” she continued.
“His book, Diary of a Young Naturalist, has already inspired hordes of young school children in nature classes to look under rocks and examine the wildlife around them.”
The woman added Dara had a “remarkable way with words”, referring to his writing as “nothing short of poetry” and said the former Fermanagh schoolboy was “a wonderful ambassador” for the campaign to save the environment.
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